[VAcourier] NEWS RELEASE: Fauquier Heritage Institute Lecture Series for 2009

Thu Feb 19 22:30:21 EST 2009

Compatriot Gar Schulin of the Black Horse Camp #780 sent us this press 
release for the Fauquier Heritage Institute Lecture Series. Please 
contact Compatriot Schulin at the phone number or e-mail address below 
for further information. This event will be posted on the Virginia 
Division Web site.

John Sawyer, Commander
Virginia Division SCV

__________________________________________________________________

Fauquier Heritage Institute
Lectures in American History

*NEWS RELEASE*

                                                 For further information 
contact

                                     Mr. Gar Schulin at:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  540-349-5864; or 
via email:
February 8, 2009                                                      
gonearethedays at earthlink.net

Fauquier Heritage Institute Features Interesting, Informative History 
Lectures for 2009

WARRENTON, VA -- The second edition of the annual Fauquier Heritage 
Institute Lectures in American History features a fine lineup of local 
historians and nationally acclaimed scholars to address a variety of 
topics of local and national significance.  The monthly lectures take 
place on Sunday afternoons at 3:00 PM in the John Barton Payne Building 
in Courthouse Square on Main Street, in Old Town Warrenton, Virginia, 
directly across the street from the Old Warrenton Courthouse.  Admission 
is free to the public and the lectures are sponsored by the Fauquier 
County Public Library.

All who are interested to learn more of our American history will want 
to mark their calendars now to hear these memorable topics and guest 
lecturers.  The 2009 lecture opened on 18 January to an appreciative 
audience with a discussion on "The Importance of Buckland," presented by 
Mr. David Blake, Proprietor of Buckland Farm.

On Sunday, 15 February at 3:00 PM, Living Historian Mr. David Meisky 
will present "Governor-General William 'Extra Billy' Smith Reminisces 
About His Life," which will provide an interesting overview of one of 
the most important historic figures to emerge from Fauquier County and 
Virginia in the 19th Century.  During his long and consequential life 
(1797-1887), William Smith became a lawyer at age 20, where he made and 
lost two fortunes; the first one earned building stage coach lines and 
the second fortune earned in the California Gold Rush.  William Smith's 
many accomplishments included having served as State Senator, U.S. 
Congressman, Confederate Congressman, a two-term Governor of Virginia 
under the Union (1846-49) and the Confederacy (1864-65), and at age 78, 
served as a Post-Reconstruction State Delegate.  When the War Between 
the States came to Virginia in 1861, former Governor Smith at age 63, 
quickly petitioned to form and equip the 49th Virginia Regiment of 
Infantry Volunteers at a time when most men his age may have been 
inclined to sit out the war on their front porch in retirement.  Colonel 
Smith eventually rose to the rank of Major-General through his 
distinguished command of Fauquier men in such battles as First Manassas, 
the Peninsula Campaign, Seven Pines, Frayser's Farm, Malvern Hill, 
Second Manassas, Sharpsburg (where he received three wounds), 
Chancellorsville, Winchester and Gettysburg.  Widely acclaimed by his 
native State, General Smith was re-elected as Virginia's last 
Confederate Governor during 1864-65.  As Confederate Governor, Smith 
dedicated his service to feeding starving soldiers and civilians, 
organized and equipped a Richmond home guard civilian defense force, 
promoted the use of African-American troops and other matters of state 
under the most dire hardships and circumstances imaginable.  Abraham 
Lincoln referred to General Smith as "that old game cock," and in the 
final days of the war, the Union placed a $25,000.00 bounty on his 
head.  In a revealing testament of the great character of Virginians of 
the day who knew of Governor Smith's whereabouts, no one ever collected 
the immense fortune. 

On June 8, 1865, the Governor-General received a federal parole, 
whereupon he returned to his beloved home in Warrenton to lead an active 
and consequential life for the remainder of his years, including 
promotion of the spirit of reconciliation in his letter to President 
Andrew Johnson, which read in part, "I pray your Excellency, to remember 
in this connection, that the people of the seceded States did not act 
without deep conviction of the right to do as they have done; that the 
disastrous termination of their efforts for liberty and independence has 
not convinced them that they were in error in the efforts they have 
made, and that they now only submit to a necessity which they have no 
power to resist.  The death or confiscation of the property of the 
father of a family are not likely to convince his children of error and 
to make them good and loyal citizens.  I deem it due to myself to 
declare that the foregoing positions and opinions are those in which I 
believe.  Accepting reconstruction as a necessity since the surrender of 
General Lee, I have borne myself in such a way as to promote and not 
obstruct it."

Upon his passing in 1887, both Fauquier and Richmond citizens by the 
thousands gave the Governor-General memorial services befitting a 
Virginia hero.  Upon the dedication of Smith's statue on the grounds of 
the State Capitol in 1906, Judge James Keith recalled the 
Governor-General's uncommon valor:  "At Seven Pines we saw him seize a 
fallen banner and bear it to the front, heedless of a storm of shot and 
shell; at Sharpsburg all day upon the perilous edge of the fiercest 
battle of the war, he displayed the highest courage and by his example 
lifted his men above all fear of the carnival of death, in the midst of 
which they stood unshaken during that awful day.  Oppressed by the 
weight of years, weary from almost superhuman exertion, bleeding from 
grievous wounds, his constant soul mounting with the occasion was 
careless of all save the command he received and the promise he had 
given to hold the position."  The Fauquier Heritage Institute is pleased 
to present this public tribute to William "Extra Billy" Smith during the 
250th Anniversary year of both Fauquier County and the Town of Culpeper.

The Institute also invites all interested persons to mark their 
calendars for the remaining 2009 lecture series, summarized as follows:  
March 15, "The Real Lincoln," presented by Thomas J. DiLorenzo, 
Professor of Economics, Loyola College and the award-winning author of 
The Real Lincoln:  A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an 
Unnecessary War; Lincoln Unmasked:  What You're Not Supposed to Know 
About Dishonest Abe; and Hamilton's Curse:  How Jefferson's Arch Enemy 
Betrayed the American Revolution- And What it Means For America Today; 
Winner of the Franz Cuhel Memorial Prize for Excellence in Economics 
Education by Prague University; and Abbeville Institute Scholar; April 
19, "Did Anyone Really Know What Time It Was," presented by Living 
Historian, researcher and lecturer Mr. Arthur Candenquist; May 17, "The 
War of 1812 in Virginia and the Role of the Fauquier County Militia," 
presented by Living Historian Mr. Mike Lyman, member of the Virginia 
Society Sons of the American Revolution, Culpeper Minute Men Chapter and 
the War of 1812 Society; June 14, "On the Shoulders of Giants:  Project 
Apollo to the Moon," presented by Mr. Gar Schulin, former Research 
Assistant at the Smithsonian Institution Center for Earth and Planetary 
Studies; National Air and Space Museum; July 19, an extended program 
starting at 2:00 PM with "The Post War Relationship of Grant and Mosby," 
presented by Mr. David Goetz, author of War Between the States articles 
and editor of The Memorial Wall to Name the Fallen; and "Mosby's Keydet 
Rangers," presented by Mr. Eric Buckland, Historian and author of 
Mosby's Keydet Rangers; a collection of memorials, biographical 
sketches, articles, personal letters, photographs and wartime 
reminiscences by and about those brave young men who both matriculated 
at the Virginia Military Institute and rode with the 43rd Battalion 
Virginia Cavalry-Mosby's Rangers; August 16, "Lieutenant Governor 
Francis Fauquier, His Own Story," presented by Mr. Dennis Loba, Living 
Historian and lecturer;  September 20, "Lesser Known Heroes:  Pelham, 
Pegram and Pendleton, The Gallant Young Men of the Confederacy," 
presented by Mr. Thomas Moore, Military Historian and award winning 
author of The Hunt for Confederate Gold; former Professional Staff of 
the Senate Armed Services Committee and Director of Defense and Foreign 
Policy at The Heritage Foundation; Stephen Dill Lee Institute Scholar; 
and Current Chairman of the Southern National Congress; October 18, 
"Secession and the Confederate Constitution," presented by Dr. William 
Wilson, Dean of Honors Students, University of Virginia; and winner of 
one the University's highest distinctions, the Algernon Sidney Sullivan 
Award for teaching and selfless service; author of many articles 
pertaining to religion, literature, philosophical theology and three 
volumes of Lectura Dantes Virginiana; and Board of Directors of the 
Abbeville Institute for the Study of Southern Culture; November 15, 
"Meet One of America's Servant Saviors:  Suffragist, Mrs. Robert 
Walker," presented by Ms. Lynne Garvey-Hodge, Living Historian and Chair 
of the Fairfax County History Commission; author of the pictorial essay 
"Clifton," on the history of Clifton, Virginia; Owner of the historic 
Bed & Breakfast, The Canary Cottage in Clifton, Virginia; and management 
consultant and President of LGH, Inc.  No program is scheduled for December.

The Fauquier Heritage Institute was created to promote the study and 
love of Virginia and American history.  To that end, the Institute hosts 
a yearly series of public lectures that seek to provide knowledge, 
understanding and appreciation of our local, regional and national history.

Additional program and Guest Lecturer details for each month will be 
posted via the Fauquier County Library web site, in addition to local 
and national papers throughout the year.  The Fauquier Heritage 
Institute welcomes and encourages all volunteers to aid our special 
events programs and lecture series in a variety of capacities.  Contact 
Program Co-Chairs Mr. Gar Schulin at 540-349-5864; Mrs. Paula Johnson at 
540-341-7019; or Mrs. Jackie Lee at 540-347-0607, for additional 
information.

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